Game Changer Comp Announced

To spur economic growth in Sandy impacted areas the City is launching a “Game-Changer” competition. Funded by a portion of the 1.77 billion dollars the City received as part of the Community Block Development Grant (CDBG), the competition is designed to attract “transformational projects that will catalyze significant long-term economic growth.” Rockaway is part of the South Queens area identified as one of the impacted areas.

The competition, administered by the City’s Economic Development Corporation (EDC), aims “to identify and fund projects that will leverage private investment for capital-intensive projects… to support small businesses and create jobs, particularly for low- and moderate-income individuals. Additionally, the competition will seek to foster partnerships among business, public, not-for-profit institutions and community based organizations.”

A Request for Proposal (RFP) was issued with the announcement of the competition. The deadline for submitting is September 9th.

The “Game-Changer” concept has been employed by EDC previously. In 2010, in an effort to build and expand applied sciences and engineering opportunities in New York, Mayor Bloomberg and EDC launched a game-changing competition and invited schools from around the world to make proposals. The winner, Cornell University, was given an 11 acre parcel on Roosevelt Island and the City committed to a $100 million dollars infrastructure overhaul.

In this competition, the City has set aside a total of $90 million dollars with each area winner in line to receive as much as $18 million dollars.

EDC is seeking proposals from businesses, nonprofit organizations and/or joint ventures made up of multiple entities.

In its press release, EDC said “It is anticipated that projects funded in connection with the competition would take place on privately-controlled sites within the identified Impact Areas.”

Some of the Project Requirements follow but for full details, go to NYCEDC.COM

Respondents should ensure that the Projects described in their Proposals would, if awarded, use the Award Funds for activities or uses that accomplish all of the Project Requirements, as listed below: a. The Project should create a significant number of full-time or full-time equivalent jobs in one or more of the Impact Areas; b. The Project should be permanent in nature; c. The Project should generate significant economic activity that benefits Impact Area residents and businesses, particularly small businesses, either directly, through new job creation, or indirectly, by anchoring industry clusters and catalyzing significant secondary benefits to the local economy; d. All or most of the Project’s economic activity should take place in an Impact area; e. Respondent should have the capacity to execute the proposed Project, and obtain the infrastructure and public approvals necessary to successfully construct and operate the Project, in a timely manner; f. The Respondent, or at least one member of its

Consortium (if applicable), should make a significant equity or capital investment and/or identify supplementary funding sources in addition to the

Award Funds that would be disbursed pursuant to this RFP; and

Activities Potentially Eligible for Funding

Projects described in the Proposals may contemplate a variety of different types of uses or activities to be funded by the Award Funds, including (but not limited to): a. Acquisition cost of real property; b. Construction, rehabilitation, reconstruction of buildings or other facilities including engineering, architectural and/or design costs c. Infrastructure directly associated with economic development activities, such as utility and transportation improvements that increase economic opportunity in an Impact Area; d. Purchase of equipment, materials, inventory, furniture, fixtures; e. Working capital to support operations, such as rent; f. Improvements to commercial/retail districts; g. Technical assistance and employee training, but only in tandem with significant private investment in permanent capital-intensive Projects that generate substantial direct and indirect economic benefits in the Impact Areas; h. Marketing and outreach

Activities Ineligible for Funding a. Residential development or rehabilitation (Note: if a mixed-use project includes housing as well as commercial development, those costs clearly attributable to the commercial portion of the project may be eligible for Award Funds); b. Proposals by utility companies (gas, electricity, water, telecommunications) that would otherwise be considered part of their regular business; c. Proposals by real estate developers that are not part of a Consortium with at least one additional for-profit or not-for-profit entity that will operate the proposed Project; and d. Any activities ineligible under the CDBG-DR

Rules, including but not limited to lobbying or other political activities.

I am seeking to form a coalition that would bring a high-tech/higher-education zone to the Rockaways, which I am calling the "Rockaways College Park Coalition." I have previously written about this idea in The Wave.
But now that the funds are open for a proposal, it is time for the Rockaways to unite and organize to make this the best possible use of these unique funds.
I invite anyone interested in participating to call me at 650-906-3134, or email petercorless@mac.com, or join us on our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/RockawaysCollegePark/
Sincerely,
Peter Corless